Water-borne airplane terminal



3 1956 F. R. HARRIS WATER-BORNE AIRPLANE TERMINAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Aug. l4, 1945 MICHAEL 5. LOBENTHAL omzoz Vane E TH, EXEC T QG ATTORNEY Oct. 30, 1956 F. R. HARRIS WATER-*BORNE AIRPLANE TERMINAL Original Filed Aug. 14, 1945 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4

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M|CHAEL 5. LOBENTHAQ 1 hqmmoz Peacy-Boo'rH,ExEcuToa9 BY 74 i ATTORNEY United States Patent WATER-BORNE AIRPLANE TERMINAL Frederic R. Harris, deceased, late of New York, N. Y.; by Florence B. Downs, Michael S. Lobenthal, and Monroe Percy Bloch, New York, N. Y., executors; assignors to Frederic R. Harris, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application August 14, 1945L Serial No. 610,749. Divided and this application October 14, 1953, Serial No. 386,023

3 Claims. (Cl. 114-4359 The invention is an improvement in terminals for airplanes, particularly sea planes or flying boats, which must land on water at harbors and other points to take on or discharge freight or passengers, at the start or end of a flight.

An object of this invention is to provide a water-borne terminal comprising a platform to be floated on water at a convenient distance from the shore; and which is adapted to facilitate loading and unloading, or overhauling and repairing. The terminal may include a bridge or gangway, which can be withdrawn to a stationary wharf or pier on the shore, when not needed and easily moved out when a plane is in, to connect the platform to the shore.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a sea plane terminal that is built to have elevated side structures and a space between them for the body or hull of the plane; preferably having their tops level with the doors or hatchways of the plane or flying boat.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a sea plane terminal which can readily be swung about to permit a plane to enter its berth upon same from virtually any direction of approach, and then be shifted further to bring the gangway and platform into proper relative positions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sea plane terminal that is similar in some respects to a floating dry dock used in raising and repairing ships and that will give the plane suitable support therein, with ample space for passengers, cargo and repair equipment, materials and supplies, during loading and unloading of the plane.

The structure of the terminal is set forth in the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention. But the invention is not to be limited in practice to the features actually shown, as changes in minor respects may be adopted without omission or alteration of any essential characteristic.

On said drawings:

Figure 1 shows a top plan, somewhat diagrammatic, of

a complete sea plane terminal according to this invention;

and

Figure 2 is a side view of same, partly in section, with some parts shown on an enlarged scale.

Figure 2a shows portions of the terminal in line with a shore structure.

Figure 3 shows in side elevation a modification thereof.

Figure 4 is a view of a detail.

Figure 5 is a side view of another modification.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 610,749 filed August 14, 1945, now abandoned.

Figures 1 and 2 show a terminal that embraces a pair of beams 2 for securing it in the desired position offshore. These beams or mooring means have ball and socket or other pivotal connection with the terminal at one end and with a fixed abutment adjacent the shore at the other end; so that the said terminal may rise and fall with the tide or according to the weight or load carried by same. The beams or members 2 extend out from a pair of abutments,

2,768,599 Patented Oct. 30, 1956 "ice such as wharves or piers 3 on or adjacent the shore, and between the piers 3 is along buoyant floating member 4 which is usually in retracted position between the piers 3 and can be moved out to serve as a bridge or gangway, to connect the terminal to the shore.

The terminal 1, as shown, is preferably in the form of a circular platform or turntable 5 with an elevated structure 6 of some height at each side. The tops of these elevated sides or parts 6 may be used as supporting surfaces for receiving and discharging passengers and freight thereon; and they are separated by a space 7 which forms a slipway or berth for the body 8 of the sea plane. When the latter comes to rest on the surface of the water it is moved into the space 7 between the sides 6 for taking on its load or discharging. The platform 5 is a spanning or supporting connector member which unites the parts 6 at their lower ends. These structures 6 are like the side walls or wing walls of a floating dry dock, and hollow, as illustrated in part on Figure 2. The structures 6 can be weighted with water, admitted through valved inlets, to keep the platform submerged and the tops of the walls 6 at the required level. The water can be expelled by pumps whenever necessary. Any conventional arrangement of pumps, valves and pipe may be utilized.

Also the terminal 1 includes a framework 9, at the middle of which is a journal or pivot 10 on which the platform 5 and sides 6 can be revolved as a unit. This framework supports a stationary gear 11 surrounding the journal 10, and this gear meshes with a pinion 12 on a shaft 13 projecting from one of the structures 6. The shaft 13 can conveniently be operated by a motor or winch indicated at 14, in one structure 6. Several gears and motors may be employed.

Each of the arms or branches 15 of the frame member 9 has a hook-shaped end 16 carrying cone-shaped, antifriction rollers 17 which move in a groove or raceway 18 in the outer peripheral surface of the member 5. Two of the arms of the framework 9 have sockets 19 at their outer ends to receive the spherical ends 20 of the beams 2 and thus provide the ball and socket connection above mentioned. A similar ball and socket joint unites the beams 2 with the tops of piles 21, a number of which are employed in the building of the piers 3. These piles 21 are braced where necessary by diagonal piling 22 and carry horizontal beams at the tops indicated at 23, con stituting an abutment to which beams 2 are thus joined. The adjacent ends of the beams 2 may be connected by the ball and socket joints to either the beams 23 or piles 21 as will be understood. At the ends of each pier 3 is a line of stakes 24 in diagonal position which may be united by planking or any other form of covering, if desired. The ball and socket joints at the ends of the beams 2 also permit the platform 5 in some degree to swing sidewise when swayed by wind or wave action.

The frame 9 is thus a cooperating member rotatably.

engaging the platform 5.

The journal 10 may be fixed to the framework 9 and rotatably engage the platform 5, or it may be fixed to the platform and rotatably engage a bearing in the framework 9.

When a sea plane glides down near a terminal, the turntable 5 is revolved to move the slipway 7 into line with the direction of approach of the plane; which then taxies into position, bringing its hull or body into the berth between the sides 6, with the hull 8 projecting somewhat beyond the platform 5, as indicated in Figure l. The platform isthen revolved to bring the slipway 7 into line with the bridge or gangway 4, floating on the water, which is then moved outward, until it reaches the platform 5. See Figure 2a. Preferably, the outer extremity of the bridge 4 is forked somewhat, having arms 25 with concave curved surfaces 26 at their outer ends to fit against the narrow curved ends 27 of the two sections 6, and receive the body 8 of the sea planebetween them. The plane can then be loaded or unloaded, and the passengers and other contents can be moved from the piers 3 over the gangway 4 to the sides 6 to load the plane,-or in the opposite direction to unload it. i

The construction illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is not part'of this invention but is defined in the claims of the inventors copending application Serial No. 386,021, filed October 14, 1953.

Figure 3 shows a terminal 1 of the same general shape as before with bottom member or platform 5a, hollow buoyant side structures 6 walls and slipway 7 between them. Under the platform 5a, is a submerged circular buoyant body or pontoon 5b held by anchors or piles 23 and anchor chains 29. The buoyant member 5b has a circular gear rack 11a fixed on its circumference, with top and bottom rims or flanges 11b; and this rack meshes with a number of pinions 12 on shafts 1.3 driven by apparatus 14 in the wing walls or structures 6. Arms 16a fixed to the member 5a have rolls 171) between the flanges 11a, to maintain desired vertical coupling between the platform 5a and pontoon 5b. This floating platform can be used with the piers 3 and the bridge or gangway 4, but requires no beams 2 to connect it to fixed piers 3.

Figures 2 and 3'illustrate the terminal sunk far enough to keep the sea plane in it floating on the surface of the water. Obviously, not only the side structures but also the platforms 5 and 5a and the pontoon 5b can be hollow, and fitted with inlet valves to admit water to their interiors to sink them to the level indicated when a sea plane is about to enter the berth 7. After the passengers and cargo are removed, the inside water can be discharged by suitable pumps to raise the terminal and lift the plane clear of the water for repair or inspection. Any apparatus for revolving the terminal and other machinery can be enclosed in watertight compartments.- Such admission valves and discharge pumps and other necessary equipment are in common use on floating dry docks and need not be illustrated or described in detail here. Such equipment is diagrammatically indicated, inlets at I,-outlets at O, and pumps P connected to the outlets. When the plane is lifted the body will rest on suitable blocks or cradles, and the hull and wings may further be lashed down-or otherwise engaged to be held against tilting or listing.

Instead of the gears 11a and 12, the platform 5a may have one or more propellers in position to exert a tangential thrust or hold the 5Z7 motionless. Each propeller can be'driven by a small electric motor in the member 5a. The'outboard faces-of the walls 6 and 6a can be curved and convex and the inboard faces are fiat and parallel to bound-the space-7. I The'walls'can also be otherwise shaped but their ends 27 should be rounded to conform to the surfaces 26 at the ends of the bridge 4. Such propellers are indicated at 32. a I

The terminals shown in Figures 1 and 2 are intended for water having a steep or slanting bottom. That of Figure 2 is for shallower waterwith a more or less horizontal bottom. If desired, piles 30 may be used instead of chains 29. Such piles will each comprise a lower part 33, with a top section or a telescoping perforated cap affixed underneath to the pontoon 5b (Figure 4), at 31. The aperture in the cap is indicated at 34 and as many piles as are needed are utilized. See Figures 4 and 5. The pontoon will then be unable to turn, and will be free to rise and fall with the tide, or be sunk into the water and raised through the necessary distance.

The buoyant side structures 6 are connected by the part 5a; and these connected side structures 6 are pivotally mounted with respect to the supporting member shown at 5b. This supporting member 5b may be considered as including the mooring beams which are pivotally united to the fixed piles or supports 21 at the shore so as to hold the side structures in position.

I I 'The'invent-ionhaving been described, what is claimed as new is: 1

1. A marine terminal for seaplanes, said terminal being located offshore in a body of water and comprising a buoyant pontoon member, aplatform member, hollow buoyant Walls on the platform member, the buoyancy of said terminal supporting the platform and pontoon members below'the surface of said water, with the tops of the wall above said surface, said walls having a space containing water between them to receive the hullof a seaplane, means for securing the pontoon to the bottom under said water to prevent rotation thereof, and means for rotating the platform member on said pontoon memher to bring said space into alinement first with an incoming plane and then with a landing structure on the'shore of said water.

2. A marine terminal for seaplanes located offshore in a body of water and comprising a buoyant pontoon member and a platform member rotatably mounted on said pontoon member, hollow buoyant walls on the platform member, the buoyancy of said terminal supporting'said members below the surface of said water with tops of said walls above said surface, said wallshaving a space containing water between them to receive the hull of a'seaplane, upright piles under the pontoon with their lowerends embedded in the bottom under the water and perforated caps fixed to the pontoon and having telescoping engagement with the piles at their tops to hold the pontoon against rotation when the platform member is rotated on the pontoon member, and means for rotating the platform member on the pontoon member to bring said space into line with an incoming plane and then into line with a shore installation.

3. A marine terminal for seaplanes, said terminal being located oflshore in a body of water and comprising a buoyant pontoon member and a platform member rotatably mounted on said pontoon member, hollow buoyant walls on said platform member, the buoyancy of said terminal supporting the platform and pontoon members under the surface of the water, with the tops of the walls above said surface, said walls having a space between them containing water to receive the hull of a seaplane, upright piles under the pontoon with their lower ends embedded in the bottom under the water, perforated caps on the pontoon having telescoping engagement with the tops of said piles to prevent rotation of said pontoon member, one of said members having a circular rack extending all around it and the other member having a gear in mesh with the rack and power means for operating the gear to rotate the platform member to bring said space into line with an incoming plane and then into line with a shore installation while the platform is held against turning by said piles.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain May 17, 1928 

